This application claims the benefit of the Korean Application No. P2001-34839 filed on Jun. 19, 2001, P2202-21615 filed on Apr. 19, 2002, P2002-21626 filed on Apr. 19, 2002, P2002-21627 filed on Apr. 19, 2002, and P2002-21628 filed on Apr. 19, 2002, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly, to an indoor unit of an air conditioner.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Generally, an air conditioner is an apparatus for cooling an air for a pleasant air condition in a room by circulating the cooled air in the room. Air conditioners are divided into a one-body type air conditioner having all components built in one unit and a separate type air conditioner having all components built in outdoor and indoor units. The separate type air conditioners are divided into a wall-hanging type air conditioner hanging an indoor unit on a wall, a stand type air conditioner installing an indoor unit on a layer, and a ceiling-suspended type air conditioner having an indoor unit suspended at a ceiling or installing the indoor unit inside the ceiling.
FIG. 1 illustrates a bird""s-eye view of an indoor unit of a general separate type air conditioner.
Referring to FIG. 1, an indoor unit of a general separate type air conditioner includes a main chassis 1 forming an exterior so as to be hung on an indoor wall surface, a front panel 3 installed at a front face of the main chassis 1, an intake grill 5a formed at the front panel 3, and a blow grill 7 installed at a lower end of the front panel 3. And, a display unit 9 is installed between the intake grill 5a and blow grill 7 so as to display a current operational status or guiding a user""s operation. Besides, an additional intake grill 5b may be installed at an upper face of the main chassis 1.
Yet, the above-explained air conditioner according to a related art has the following problems or disadvantages.
First, since the main chassis 1 and front panel 3 protrude round toward a front side, a width between front and rear sides is considerably wide. Moreover, the intake grill 5a plays roles in protecting inner components of the indoor unit and guiding an external air, but becomes one of the reasons of increasing the width of the indoor unit as well as degrade the exterior of the indoor unit. Hence, the indoor unit according to the related art occupies too much room space as well as fails to provide a neat appearance.
Second, the intake grills 5a and 5b are always open in part, whereby particles such as dust and the like penetrate into the indoor unit through the intake grills.
Third, relation between reciprocal positions of the intake and blow grills 5a and 7 brings about interference between the sucked-in and blown airs. Namely, as both of the intake and blow grills 5a and 7 are located at the front face of the main chassis 1, the sucked-in air for heat-exchange is usually mixed with the heat-exchanged air. In this case, the heat-exchanged air having failed completely to circulate through the room is sucked in a heat exchanger 11 through the intake grill 5a, thereby reducing heat-exchange efficiency.
Fourth, a dead zone failing to be supplied with the heat-exchanged air is generated from a space right beneath the main chassis 1 due to the structure of the blow grill 7. It is a matter of course that a blowing direction of the heat-exchanged air can be adjusted by a vane or louver. It is impossible to supply the space beneath the main chassis 1 with the heat-exchanged air directly.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an air conditioner that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner having a slimmer exterior.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner enabling to prevent interference between one air before heat exchange and the other air after the heat exchange.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner enabling to minimize the penetration of particles.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner enabling to supply a room with a heat-exchanged air evenly.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, an air conditioner according to the present invention includes a main chassis receiving various components inside, a heat exchanger installed inside the main chassis so as to exchange heat with a room air, a blow fan installed inside the main chassis so as to suck in and blow out the room air, a front panel attached to a front side of the main chassis and having an intake inlet at a front face so as to make an air flow in the heat exchanger, and an intake panel installed at the front face of the front panel to revolve to move so as to close/open the intake inlet selectively, the intake panel installed at the front face of the front panel so as to be detachable.
Preferably, a lower end of the intake panel is loaded on a lower portion of the front panel so as to revolve to move.
More preferably, the intake panel comprises a main plate and an auxiliary plate attached to a front face of the main plate.
More preferably, the auxiliary plate includes a first layer transmitting light and a second layer placed at a rear face of the first layer so as to reflect light.
More preferably, the first layer of the auxiliary plate is made of one selected from a group consisting of tempered glass and plastics.
More preferably, the second layer of the auxiliary plate is selected from a group consisting of a metal layer and dielectric multi-layers.
More preferably, the second layer is colored with a predetermined color.
More preferably, the auxiliary plate includes various patterns and colors.
Preferably, the intake panel maintains a predetermined tilt angle for the front panel on operation.
More preferably, the intake panel further comprises a driving means connecting the front panel and the intake panel to each other when the intake panel is detached and revolving the intake panel up to a limited range on operation.
More preferably, the driving means includes a first link having a first end portion connected to the front panel to move to revolve and a second link having a first end portion connected to a second end portion of the first link confronting the first end portion of the first link and a second end portion connected to the intake panel so as to revolve to move.
More preferably, a connecting unit of the first and second links includes a hinge hole formed one of the second end portion of the first link and the first end portion of the second link and a hinge pin formed at the other end portion connected to the end portion having the hinge hole so as to be inserted in the hinge hole.
More preferably, a connecting unit of the second link and intake panel includes a bracket formed at a rear face of the intake panel and having a hinge hole and a hinge pin inserted in the hinge hole at the second end portion of the second link, the hinge hole of the bracket, and the hinge hole of the second link, simultaneously.
More preferably, the driving means further comprises a motor connected to the first end portion of the first link so as to revolve the first link automatically.
More preferably, the motor is a step motor enabling to control a revolution degree of the first link step by step.
More preferably, the motor is attached to a rear face of the front panel and the first link is connected to a shaft of the motor through an opening formed at the front panel.
More preferably, the front panel further comprises a partition formed near the opening so as to protect the inner components.
More preferably, the partition extends from a circumference of the opening toward a rear side of the front panel in a direction vertical to the front face of the front panel.
More preferably, the driving means further comprises an auxiliary connecting member formed at the connecting unit of the first and second links so as to prevent separation of the first and second links.
More preferably, the auxiliary connecting member is formed at one of a group consisting of the second end portion of the first link and the first end portion of the second link so as to surround the other connected end portion in part.
More preferably, the auxiliary connecting member includes a boss formed near one of the second end portion of the first link and the first end portion of the second link and a coupling member coupled with the boss so as to gear into the other end portion connected to the end portion having the boss.
More preferably, the driving means further comprises a stopper formed at the connecting unit of the first and second links so as to restrict a reciprocal revolution range between the first and second links.
Preferably, a loading unit of the intake and front panels includes a hinge bar formed at a lower side of the front panel and a hinge ring protruding from a lower end of the intake panel so as to be coupled with the hinge bar detachably.
Preferably, the air conditioner further includes a power control means for cutting off a power to the inner components when the intake panel is separated.
More preferably, the power control means includes a protrusion formed at a lower end of the intake panel so as to be inserted in a hole formed at the front panel on loading a panel and a switch fixed to the front panel by a predetermined fixing member so as to supply a power by being contacted with the protrusion.
More preferably, a contact area between the protrusion and the switch is a curved face.
More preferably, the switch includes a body having an electrical contact point and a terminal having one end connected to the body and the other end contacted with the contact point of the body when being pressurized.
More preferably, the fixing member includes a hook formed inside the front panel so as to be adjacent to a recess for the protrusion wherein the switch is inserted in the hook and a plurality of ribs supporting the switch.
Preferably, the air conditioner further includes a blow means installed at the main chassis so as to blow the heat-exchanged air into a room by being drawn inside or outside the main chassis.
Preferably, the main chassis further comprises a blow outlet formed at a bottom face.
Preferably, the main chassis further comprises a front part and a rear part installed at a wall face so as to lead to the front part.
In another aspect of the present invention, an air conditioner includes a main chassis receiving various components inside, a heat exchanger installed inside the main chassis so as to exchange heat with a room air, a blow fan installed inside the main chassis so as to suck in and blow out the room air, a front panel attached to a front side of the main chassis and having an intake inlet at a front face so as to make an air flow in the heat exchanger, and an intake panel installed at the front face of the front panel to revolve to move so as to close/open the intake inlet selectively, the intake panel installed at the front face of the front panel so as to be detachable, the intake panel hung on the front panel when being detached.
Accordingly, the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to the present invention can have a compact size as well as improves its exterior.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.